Tools for teaching content literacy - Brittney Lacy

1. Sketching Our
Way Through
Text
( Content
Areas)
By: Brittney Lacey
CSL 570

2. Overview
 What: Drawing pictures to conceptualize
ideas, facts and information
 Why: Learning differences, visualization of
text, content area specifics
 When: During reading (note taking), after
reading (processing, explaining, retelling)
 How: Model, student practice, student
sharing.

3. What is this strategy?
 Sketching your way through text is a strategy that
assists with student comprehension in an
alternate way. By having students draw important
events, ideas, strategies and vocabulary from text,
the comprehension of the text increases. This is
especially helpful for students that are visual
learners. When students are able to visualize the
elements of the text they are focusing on, rather
than only trying to imagine it they gain a deeper
understanding and are more likely to make
connections.

4. How would I teach this strategy?
1. Model the strategy in it’s entirety.
2. Begin by choosing an appropriate text that is relevant to the topic or subject you are
teaching.
3. Make a classroom chart on what signifies a piece of important information. Have
students share ideas such as main idea, important strategies, vocabulary, etc.
4. Since you should model this strategy first, read aloud the text of choice. Ask students
to follow along and raise their hand when they think they have heard something that is
important to their learning about the topic or subject.
5. After discussing the idea given by the students, explain to them what you are going to
draw, why it is important and what the description of the picture will be.
6. Sketch the drawing and label it appropriately. ** Remember to stress that these
drawings should not be elaborate artistic drawings just a SKETCH.
7. Once the sketches for the entire text are complete, have the students talk you through
the important facts they learned from the reading and explain what their pictures
represent.
8. Check for understanding by having several students repeat back the procedure for this
strategy in their own words.
9. Once completing a text in a whole group setting, assign students a text and have them
practice the strategy on their own.
10. Have students share their sketches with each other.

5. Why would I teach this strategy?
 Content area text is difficult and many times
very abstract. Students are faced with many
unfamiliar ideas and vocabulary that may be
difficult to comprehend especially with no
previous knowledge. I think sketching
through text is a great strategy to help with
comprehension because it gives students
visual reminders of the material they are
learning about.

6. What it looks like ..
Example of
sketching through
text at a different
levels.

7. I am going to read aloud a short story to you. As I am reading
I want you to sketch important details of the text that will help
you remember what the story was about. When we are
finished we will turn and talk to a partner and share our
pictures 

8. Discussion
1) What do you like about this strategy? Was there
anything you didn’t like?
2) How can you incorporate this strategy in your
classroom? What grade level do you teach?
3) What content area do you think this would be
most useful for?
4) Any questions? Comments?
Rate this strategy
1 2 3 4 5
1= Did not like 3= It’s okay 5= Love it!

9. References
 Dunn, P., & De Mers, K. (2010, April 1). Sketching-to-Learn. Retrieved January 8, 2016, from
http://kairos.technorhetoric.net/7.1/coverweb/dunn_demers/sketch.htm
 Nguyen, K. (2013, July 1). Strategy Presentation: Sketching Your Way Through the Text.
Retrieved January 8, 2016, from https://prezi.com/z9g4g_l_5xuq/strategy-presentation-
sketching-your-way-through-the-text/
 Rener, K. (2014). Sketching Your Way through the Text. Retrieved January 8, 2016, from
http://katierener.weebly.com/sketching-your-way-through-the-text.html